RT @sarahmaclean: February’s romance column is up at The Post, with books from Tessa Bailey, Vanessa Riley and Jasmine Guillory. Enjoy! htt…4 days ago

December 20, 2016

Interview and Giveaway with Lorraine Heath

I’m a true fan of Lorraine Heath’s lush and rich historical romances and I’m honored to welcome her today for an interview and a giveaway!

LB: The cover for The Viscount and the Vixen is just so gorgeous! What was your reaction when you saw it for the first time? Does the cover model resemble how you pictured Portia in your mind?

Lorraine: I was thrilled when I saw the cover for the first time. The cover model definitely resembles how I envisioned Portia—not only in looks but in attitude. I can clearly see Portia glancing back over her shoulder, teasing my hero as she constantly strives to maintain the upper hand. She may be one of my favorite heroines, vulnerable yet strong.

LB: What are a few reasons you love writing in the Victorian time period? What is something interesting you uncovered while doing the historical research for this book?

Lorraine: I would love to answer the second question—except it might prove to be a spoiler for the story—so I’ll tell you why I love writing in the Victorian time period. It provides such a rich and broad canvas for storytelling. England and the aristocracy was in the midst of change. Industrialization was modernizing the world at a rapid clip and yet many facets harkened back to an earlier, darker time. I can have pickpockets mixed in with people playing tennis. American heiresses were coming over in search of titled gentlemen. Titled gentlemen were in want of ladies with a fortune because their estates were no longer producing livable incomes. All levels of society were having to make adjustments. It’s fun to explore a world where the middle class was emerging and the upper class was struggling to maintain the status quo. So many story possibilities exist.

LB: You’ve been called “a magician with words” (RT Book Reviews) and I agree! Do you have special writing rituals that help you to keep the magic flowing for each new book?

Lorraine: I’m blushing at the praise. I do have a couple of rituals that I began when I first started writing seriously. I tend to write the more emotional scenes at night, in the dark, with a rain CD playing in the background. I also try to find that represents one of my characters (bergamot, rose, lavender) usually in soap or candle form to bring in that sense. But mostly I try to imagine myself as that character—what he or she is feeling, thinking, dreaming—and put their thoughts to the page. I do a lot of research searching for small things that can make my characters more relatable to the reader. I want the reader to feel immersed not only in the world I’m creating but also in the characters.

LB: Oooh, bergamot/rose/lavender sounds like a dreamy combination. What a great idea to play rain in the background when you’re writing an emotional scene – I’ll have to try that 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by and for gifting us with such beautiful books!

Lorraine: Thanks so much for having me!

To make your holidays even merrier, visit my FB page for a chance to win your choice of a print or e-book copy of The Viscount and the Vixen!

Love begets madness. Viscount Locksley watched it happen to his father after his cherished wife’s death. But when his sire arranges to marry flame-haired fortune hunter Portia Gadstone, Locke is compelled to take drastic measures to stop the stunning beauty from taking advantage of the marquess. A marriage of mutual pleasure could be convenient, indeed . . . as long as inconvenient feelings don’t interfere.

Desperation forced Portia to agree to marry a madman. The arrangement will offer the protection she needs. Or so she believes until the marquess’s distractingly handsome son peruses the fine print . . .and takes his father’s place!

Now the sedate—and, more importantly, secure—union Portia planned has been tossed in favor of one simmering with wicked temptation and potential heartbreak. Because as she begins to fall for her devilishly seductive husband, her dark secrets surface and threaten to ruin them both—unless Locke is willing to risk all and open his heart to love.